The Case of the Overwhelming Mortgage

AgathaSquirrel · 30 August 2025 at 7:22AM

Pay day arrived. Health related item paid off. Some travel required over the next month so some money put to that but otherwise overpaid mortgage by £50, will add another £100 to that later in the month. Added an additional £28 to standard life pension. I’m also in the process of opening a stocks and shares ISA. This will just be £25 a month for the present time.This is 10 years+ investing to give us some additional funds for the 60-67 years. We’re both thinking we’ll work part time at 60 for a couple of years but it would be nice to be in a position to retire at 60 if this is what we want to do. If everything goes to plan mortgage should be paid off and university funds in place 4 years from now. That gives us 6 years to focus on pension and house improvements.

Big news is the garden works start on Monday.

Other big news is I have some money to spend on me for the first time in a long time. I’ve managed to rip my raincoat so planning to have a look in town today for something from the sales.

edinburgher · 30 August 2025 at 7:30AM

Well done on starting the S&S ISA. I'm trying to grow mine at the moment and I'm finding it takes a bit more discipline than pensions as I can't touch those once the money is paid in!

South_coast · 30 August 2025 at 8:29AM

Don't touch it Ed, that's what makes it work 😘! I haven't paid anything into mine all year while my focus has been elsewhere, and it's currently up 6.8% from 1 January. Very happy with that, in this era of global/political instability

savingholmes · 3 September 2025 at 7:39PM

I find an isa harder to stick with than saving via my pension. Well done for making a start.

AgathaSquirrel · 13 September 2025 at 3:45PM

Garden work has commenced. Another week or so to go.

Taking my mum and the teens away next weekend. Have a couple of shows booked.

Work has been a struggle. Lots of travel, including one very long drive. Lots of presentations. The rest of the month is much the same but at least I can tick some things off the list. Looking forward to our fortnight break in October.

savingholmes · 4 October 2025 at 2:18PM

Hope the work is progressing well. Time off sounds great.

AgathaSquirrel · 5 October 2025 at 11:16AM

Garden is done. Now switching back to overpaying the mortgage. Currently at £42,000. Next goal is sub £40000. We re-fix next September so aiming to get it down as much as possible and hopefully fix for our final 3 years.